Parramatta Marist is the oldest Catholic school in Australia. It is located in Westmead and has consistently acquired excellent HSC results. The schools direction has changed under the leadership of principal Br Patrick Howlett to focus on the implementation of project based learning into the curriculum within years 9 and 10. The school has implemented the New Tech Foundation model which was founded in the beautiful Napa Valley, California. Our first cohort is now approaching the end of this program and students do not want to go back to the previous way of learning and have asked staff to look at making modifications to way they learn in year 11 to incorporate increased group work, academic rigor and the use of web 2.0 tools.
Presentation by Scott DeFreese, leader of New Tech High @ Arsenal Tech, at the Nov 2008 statewide panel on New Tech High Indiana. This panel was sponsored by Barnes & Thornburg, TechPoint and the TechPoint Foundation.
ManorNew Tech High's Ribbon Cutting video (played when the Governor hit the computer key to do the virtual ribbon cutting) : Go to YouTube at __http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Atq6XaN8IKo__
__"What is Manor New Tech?" video__ -- In their own words, Manor New Tech (Manor, TX) students explain what MNTHS is to them. This video features footage of what is happening on campus every day. Presented by students at the Texas Computer Educators Conference, February 4, 2008.
The Thinkquest Library contains over 7,000 websites created by students around the world who have participated in a ThinkQuest Competition. You might also consider having your students enter the Thinkquest competition.
Site requires you to set up an account. It’s free, quick and easy.
Primarily, the PBL Co-Laboratory was created for the purpose of allowing PBL members (users who have created an account on the PBL website) to collaborate on project-based learning activities. For example, when users submit original projects to the PBL Co-Laboratory, they will be automatically assigned as the author of that project. This will allow that user to control and maintain the overall structure and content of a project. Additionally, PBL authors can give other users permission rights to participate in that project.
The PBL Co-Laboratory was also designed as a collaborative project development tool. This means that the PBL Co-Laboratory will allow multiple users to work together in creating project-based learning activities. While the main section of the PBL website (http://www.pbl-online.org/) contains the information about project-based learning, here we will focus on how to use the PBL Co-Laboratory as a tool for collaboration and development.
This site has a variety of PBL resource web links (Including NTF). There are links to research, books, project libraries, video, online courses, assessment, school culture, etc.
Bernie Dodge’s (San Diego State) WebQuest site has a searchable library of WebQuest projects in a variety of content areas and grade levels. It also has information on how to set up a WebQuest. The process looks very much like our Project Briefcase. There is also an only WebQuest creator tool and research on inquiry-based instruction.
This site is a little old. It was created by West Ed several years ago. Some of the links to the actual projects sites may no longer exist, but there are good project summaries for all projects chosen for this site. There are also links to PBL and assessment resources, research and Web sites. Again, some of the links no longer exist since this in an archived site, but there are also some great resources.
Web Exhibits
This is an online virtual museum with interesting exhibits that could be use for student research, or as motivation for Web-based student projects.
SRI’s online community for educators. You can log in as a guest, or become a member. There are online support people available to help guide you through the site. It features daily online ‘After School Online “discussions (chats) on a variety of topics and content areas. (See the calendar), share, and support one another. Each of the virtual rooms hold a wide variety of educational resources.
“The online workplace of an international community of education professionals. K-12 teachers, librarians, administrators, and professional development staff, as well as university faculty, students, and researchers gather here to learn, collaborate”
Blue Web'n is an online library of 2182 outstanding Internet sites categorized by subject, grade level, and format (tools, references, lessons, hotlists, resources, tutorials, activities, projects). You can also do a quick search using the search box below. You can search by grade level (Refined Search), broad subject area (Content Areas), or specific sub-categories (Subject Area).
SCORE (Schools of California Online Resources for Educadtors)
These resources in the 4 core content areas were designed for CA Standards, but there are great resources classes throughout the nation. There are project ideas/plans for each of the 4 core content areas that are directly tied to CA Content Standards.
Jamie McKenzie’s (From Now On) Questioning Tool Kit is a great resources for helping with driving questions, Socratic questioning, or helping students come up with good essential questions for their project research.
“Global network that enables teachers and youth to use the Internet and other technologies to collaborate on projects that enhance learning and make a difference in the world.” There is a fee to join iEarn.
“Inquiry-based learning is not a new technique—in fact, it goes back to education philosopher John Dewey—but it does stand in contrast to the more structured, curriculum-centered framework of today's schools.
Asking questions is at the heart of inquiry-based learning. The goal is not to ask just any questions, of course, but ones that kids honestly care about. Your role is to guide the kids in finding the answers themselves and encourage them to ask new questions along the way.”
"Interactives" provides educators and students with strategies, content, and activities that can enhance and improve students' skills in a variety of curricular areas.” The site contains interactive information for science, math, literature, language, history and the arts.
This is an online learning community that allows educators to develop websites, surveys, quizzes, calendars, and blogs, cite sources, upload podcasts, embed Web 2.0 tools and review projects and resources that are aligned standards,
Castle Learning is a subscription-based web site for students and teachers, that provides content assessments for Math, Science, Social Studies, English and Foreign Languages.
ClassMarker is a (free, but you can purchase the upgrade) professional, easy to use, online quiz maker that marks your tests and quizzes for you. You can:
"* Link directly to quizzes from your website or emails
Randomize quiz questions and set time limits
Have quiz results emailed to you and saved in ClassMarker
Create multiple choice, true false, free text, short answer, fill in the blank and
punctuation quizzes
Register multiple learners instantly with 1 click"
Quia allows teachers to create educational games, quizzes, class Web pages, surveys, etc. It also has activities and quizzes created by educators from around the world.
(International Education and Resource Network) is the world's largest non-profit global network that enables teachers and youth to use the Internet and other technologies to collaborate on projects that enhance learning and make a difference in the world.
"QuestGarden is an online authoring tool, community and hosting service that is designed to make it easier and quicker to create a high quality WebQuest."
"TiddlyWiki is a single html file which has all the characteristics of a wiki - including all of the content, the functionality (including editing, saving, tagging and searching) and the style sheet. Because it's a single file, it's very portable - you can email it, put it on a web server or share it via a USB stick.
But it's not just a wiki! It has very powerful plugin capabilities, so it can also be used to build new tools. You have full control over how it looks and behaves."
"Class Blogmeister is one of several blogging engines that have been developed specifically for classroom use. The Blog is an online publishing tool that enables people to easily publish their loves, passions, dislikes, peeves, discoveries, and insights. "
An online password protected site for sharing documents. It contains a free web-based word processor and spreadsheet, which allow you share and collaborate online. You can also upload MS Office documents.
"Audacity® is free, open source software for recording and editing sounds. It is available for Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, GNU/Linux, and other operating systems."
"The Flat Classroom Project is a global, collaborative project using Web 2.0 tools to foster communication, collaboration and creation. For inspiration and content material it draws on the work of Thomas Friedman and 'The World is Flat'."
"Google SketchUp is software that you can use to create, modify and share 3D models. It's easier to learn than other 3D modeling programs, which is why so many people are already using it."
"An Open Source vector graphics editor, with capabilities similar to Illustrator, CorelDraw, or Xara X, using the W3C standard Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) file format."
Parramatta Marist is the oldest Catholic school in Australia. It is located in Westmead and has consistently acquired excellent HSC results. The schools direction has changed under the leadership of principal Br Patrick Howlett to focus on the implementation of project based learning into the curriculum within years 9 and 10. The school has implemented the New Tech Foundation model which was founded in the beautiful Napa Valley, California. Our first cohort is now approaching the end of this program and students do not want to go back to the previous way of learning and have asked staff to look at making modifications to way they learn in year 11 to incorporate increased group work, academic rigor and the use of web 2.0 tools.
Team:
Gavin Hays -
Lucy Gresser - http://lucygresser.wordpress.com
Karyn West
Bruce Carr
Project Video
Project Powerpoint
Pedagogy Resources
Napa New Technology Foundation
Sample videos from around the New Tech network that describe and showcase the New Tech model. Sample email with examples included.
URL Directly to NTF's Teacher Tube Group: http://www.teachertube.com/groups_home.php?urlkey=NTF
Napa and Sacramento New Tech High Schools
- "Learning Through Projects" segment from the ASCD series,"Teaching the Adolescent Brain": __http://www.newtechfoundation.org/images/generalImages/NTF_ActionMovie2.html__. Segments from Sacramento and Napa New Tech High Schools.
- "Small Schools Project" segment: __http://www.newtechfoundation.org/images/generalImages/NTF_ActionMovie.html__
Manor New Technology High School (Manor, TX)Buck Institute
Resources for Problem and Project Based Learning: http://www.bie.org/index.php/site/PBL/web_resource
Research and Evaluation: http://www.bie.org/research/pbl/summary.php?id=22
Project Based Research: http://www.bie.org/index.php/site/RE/pbl_research/29
Republican Polytechnic
Other PBL Resources
The Thinkquest Library contains over 7,000 websites created by students around the world who have participated in a ThinkQuest Competition. You might also consider having your students enter the Thinkquest competition.
Site requires you to set up an account. It’s free, quick and easy.
Primarily, the PBL Co-Laboratory was created for the purpose of allowing PBL members (users who have created an account on the PBL website) to collaborate on project-based learning activities. For example, when users submit original projects to the PBL Co-Laboratory, they will be automatically assigned as the author of that project. This will allow that user to control and maintain the overall structure and content of a project. Additionally, PBL authors can give other users permission rights to participate in that project.
The PBL Co-Laboratory was also designed as a collaborative project development tool. This means that the PBL Co-Laboratory will allow multiple users to work together in creating project-based learning activities. While the main section of the PBL website (http://www.pbl-online.org/) contains the information about project-based learning, here we will focus on how to use the PBL Co-Laboratory as a tool for collaboration and development.
This site has a variety of PBL resource web links (Including NTF). There are links to research, books, project libraries, video, online courses, assessment, school culture, etc.
Bernie Dodge’s (San Diego State) WebQuest site has a searchable library of WebQuest projects in a variety of content areas and grade levels. It also has information on how to set up a WebQuest. The process looks very much like our Project Briefcase. There is also an only WebQuest creator tool and research on inquiry-based instruction.
This is a place for teachers to share project-based high school curriculum. Projects are listed by curricular area.
Project examples and information about project based learning
This site is a little old. It was created by West Ed several years ago. Some of the links to the actual projects sites may no longer exist, but there are good project summaries for all projects chosen for this site. There are also links to PBL and assessment resources, research and Web sites. Again, some of the links no longer exist since this in an archived site, but there are also some great resources.
This is an online virtual museum with interesting exhibits that could be use for student research, or as motivation for Web-based student projects.
SRI’s online community for educators. You can log in as a guest, or become a member. There are online support people available to help guide you through the site. It features daily online ‘After School Online “discussions (chats) on a variety of topics and content areas. (See the calendar), share, and support one another. Each of the virtual rooms hold a wide variety of educational resources.
“The online workplace of an international community of education professionals. K-12 teachers, librarians, administrators, and professional development staff, as well as university faculty, students, and researchers gather here to learn, collaborate”
Blue Web'n is an online library of 2182 outstanding Internet sites categorized by subject, grade level, and format (tools, references, lessons, hotlists, resources, tutorials, activities, projects). You can also do a quick search using the search box below. You can search by grade level (Refined Search), broad subject area (Content Areas), or specific sub-categories (Subject Area).
These resources in the 4 core content areas were designed for CA Standards, but there are great resources classes throughout the nation. There are project ideas/plans for each of the 4 core content areas that are directly tied to CA Content Standards.
Jamie McKenzie’s (From Now On) Questioning Tool Kit is a great resources for helping with driving questions, Socratic questioning, or helping students come up with good essential questions for their project research.
“Global network that enables teachers and youth to use the Internet and other technologies to collaborate on projects that enhance learning and make a difference in the world.” There is a fee to join iEarn.
Library of student projects in all content areas
“Inquiry-based learning is not a new technique—in fact, it goes back to education philosopher John Dewey—but it does stand in contrast to the more structured, curriculum-centered framework of today's schools.
Asking questions is at the heart of inquiry-based learning. The goal is not to ask just any questions, of course, but ones that kids honestly care about. Your role is to guide the kids in finding the answers themselves and encourage them to ask new questions along the way.”
"Interactives" provides educators and students with strategies, content, and activities that can enhance and improve students' skills in a variety of curricular areas.” The site contains interactive information for science, math, literature, language, history and the arts.
UNC Chapel Hill’s site with lesson plans, PBL resources, best practices and learning materials
A searchable database of over 1300 projects and lessons to teach civic responsibility and philanthropy for all grades/content areas.
Links to videos and resources on a variety of topics.
Apple Education's collection of student created multimedia projects
This is an online learning community that allows educators to develop websites, surveys, quizzes, calendars, and blogs, cite sources, upload podcasts, embed Web 2.0 tools and review projects and resources that are aligned standards,
Castle Learning is a subscription-based web site for students and teachers, that provides content assessments for Math, Science, Social Studies, English and Foreign Languages.
ClassMarker is a (free, but you can purchase the upgrade) professional, easy to use, online quiz maker that marks your tests and quizzes for you. You can:
"* Link directly to quizzes from your website or emails
- Randomize quiz questions and set time limits
- Have quiz results emailed to you and saved in ClassMarker
- Create multiple choice, true false, free text, short answer, fill in the blank and
punctuation quizzesQuia allows teachers to create educational games, quizzes, class Web pages, surveys, etc. It also has activities and quizzes created by educators from around the world.
An easy to use visual search engine that creates a mind map to connect resources
This is a (small) fee based site for hosting web classroom websites and WebQuests.
(International Education and Resource Network) is the world's largest non-profit global network that enables teachers and youth to use the Internet and other technologies to collaborate on projects that enhance learning and make a difference in the world.
"QuestGarden is an online authoring tool, community and hosting service that is designed to make it easier and quicker to create a high quality WebQuest."
An easy-to-use web site (blog), where you can quickly post thoughts, interact with people, etc.
PB (Peanut Butter) Wiki is an easy to use Wiki that lets multiple people collaborate on the same page. This is a great resources for group projects.
"TiddlyWiki is a single html file which has all the characteristics of a wiki - including all of the content, the functionality (including editing, saving, tagging and searching) and the style sheet. Because it's a single file, it's very portable - you can email it, put it on a web server or share it via a USB stick.
But it's not just a wiki! It has very powerful plugin capabilities, so it can also be used to build new tools. You have full control over how it looks and behaves."
"Class Blogmeister is one of several blogging engines that have been developed specifically for classroom use. The Blog is an online publishing tool that enables people to easily publish their loves, passions, dislikes, peeves, discoveries, and insights. "
An online password protected site for sharing documents. It contains a free web-based word processor and spreadsheet, which allow you share and collaborate online. You can also upload MS Office documents.
This is an online publishing site. Projects can become published books. There is a cost attached to this service.
"Audacity® is free, open source software for recording and editing sounds. It is available for Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, GNU/Linux, and other operating systems."
Jing is free software that allows you to capture images, edit video and post it all online
"The Flat Classroom Project is a global, collaborative project using Web 2.0 tools to foster communication, collaboration and creation. For inspiration and content material it draws on the work of Thomas Friedman and 'The World is Flat'."
Create, edit, organize and share photos on the Web.
Create slide shows with photos, video clips and music that can be shared on the Web, etc.
Create, share, organize photos online or in printed albums
"Sweet Home 3D is a free interior design application"
"Google SketchUp is software that you can use to create, modify and share 3D models. It's easier to learn than other 3D modeling programs, which is why so many people are already using it."
A web resource list of software for game creation. Some of the software is open source (free), and others are for purchase.
A source for videos, and a place to post student created videos or video entry documents.
A source for educational or school/teacher/student created videos, and a place to post student created videos or video entry documents.
Create free web sites and blogs.
A free graphics manipulation software that allows you to edit digital images.
"An Open Source vector graphics editor, with capabilities similar to Illustrator, CorelDraw, or Xara X, using the W3C standard Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) file format."